ORLANDO, FL -- As the Republican-controlled House readies to vote Tuesday for an extreme anti-immigrant bill that seeks to undo and defund President Obama’s administrative relief programs on immigration (DAPA and DACA), Mi Familia Vota Education Fund, and allies will hold a news conference to defend the initiatives and discuss how Latino communities are preparing to sign up for the programs in coming weeks.

Last November, President Obama announced administrative relief from deportation for eligible immigrant children -- an expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrives program that began in 2012. The president also will defer deportation for eligible, unauthorized parents of U.S. citizens and parents of lawful permanent residents (LPRs). However, the GOP-led House has prepared a bill that would undo the 2012 and 2014 programs and attacks other long-standing initiatives based on humanitarian considerations.

Conservative Governors from 25 states have also filed a politically driven lawsuit attacking the president’s authority to provide relief to immigrants. The Latino community will push back against these political tactics that hurt our families, our economy and community safety.

WHAT: News Conference standing up for administrative relief on immigration and community response

The campaign kickoff urges Latinos to register to vote and then take their families, neighbors, and friends to the ballot box on Election Day, November 4. Only by exercising the power of their vote, can the Latino community influence real policy changes.

The campaign will have three main voter registration pushes: today (September 15), September 23 (National Voter Registration Day), and October 15 (the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month). The initiative is the first of its kind to mobilize Latinos during Hispanic Heritage Month and brings together partners across all industries to put the needs of the Latino community above individual politics.

Hispanic Heritage Month of Action relies heavily on digital and social media assets, along with ground components in key states like Florida, including focused outreach by MFVEF Florida to young Latinos who have reached voting age as well as Latinos who are eligible to vote but have not yet registered.

In Florida, MFVEF will be canvassing in Orange and Osceola Counties and working the telephones in Tampa.

Ben Monterroso, executive director of Mi Familia Vota Education Fund, said the Latino community will not remain silent after the political stalemate in Washington over immigration reform.

“Latinos understand that the only real way to impact our future is with a strong showing of our voting power. We began the immigration debate with our record turnout in the 2012 Election, and we will continue fighting for our community and for immigration reform by voting,” Monterroso said.

José Luis Marantes, State Director for MFVEF FL, said that through voter registration, "Latino youth and their families will channel their dreams, hopes, and concerns towards the polls this November"

The initiative is led online by Voto Latino, on the ground by Mi Familia Vota Education Fund in key Latino states, and nationally with partners, including the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, ImpreMedia, Entravision, Liberman Broadcasting, Cosmo Latina, Being Latino, Alliance for Citizenship, Latino Victory Project and others.* Voto Latino Chairwoman Rosario Dawson, Voto Latino Artist Coalition co-Chairs America Ferrera and Wilmer Valderrama, and Latino Victory Project co-founder Eva Longoria are also lending their voices to the campaign, which runs through October 15, the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month.

“We are calling American Latinos to rise above our political differences and to unite as a community this November,” said María Teresa Kumar, President and CEO, Voto Latino. “Today and for the next month, we will show that Latinos stand tall because we have pride in our culture, and we recognize the power of our vote.”

“Pride in our Latino culture includes pride in our Nation. As Americans, we are proud to exercise our right to vote and elect officials who reflect the values of our communities. We stand with our partners to mobilize our communities, register our family and friends, and ensure a path to reach the polls on Election Day,” said Cristóbal Alex, President of the Latino Victory Project. “Exercising our right to vote builds power in the Latino community so that the faces and voices of Latinos are reflected at every level of government and in the policies that drive our country forward.”

More than 7.8 million Latinos are expected to vote this November, up from 6.6 million Latinos who voted in the last midterm election in 2010, according to projections by National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO). The record Latino voter turnout in 2012 propelled immigration to the top of the policy agenda. Latino voters must be heard again to create the political climate to find solutions for immigration, the economy, and other issues important to the Latino community.

TAMPA, FLORIDA—Today, Senator Marco Rubio cast a critical vote to pass historic immigration reform legislation. The bill cleared the Senate with a bipartisan majority of 68-32, including every Democrat and 14 Republicans.

Mi Familia Vota and other leading immigrant advocates have been fighting for many years for a commonsense immigration reform that would remove the shadow of deportation from our hard working immigrant communities. Now is finally the time to pass legislation that fixes our country’s dysfunctional immigration system once and for all. While we know that the bill is far from perfect, we understand that this may be our only chance to pass comprehensive immigration reform. The massive build-up at the Southern border will have serious ramifications for border communities and American taxpayers. Moving forward we shall not compromise on ensuring key principles remain in tact on the bill as it moves to through the House including keeping families together, assuring workers rights, and most importantly ensuring a path to citizenship for 11 million.

“Today is a historic day in America,” said Elena McCullough, Florida State Director of Mi Familia Vota, “We celebrate the Senate passage of the bill this afternoon. We also look forward to working with our Florida congressional delegation for full passage of the bill in Congress and a pathway to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants.”

Senator Rubio’s vote was entirely consistent with public opinion in his state in support of immigration reform. Recently, Harper Polling/Public Policy Polling conducted a statewide poll sponsored by the Alliance for Citizenship, Partnership for a New American Economy, and Republicans for Immigration Reform that showed that 71% support the Senate bill. Moreover, 52% of those polled in the state are more likely to vote for an elected official who supports comprehensive immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship.

The recent Congressional Budget Office analysis helps quantify the economic benefits of the bipartisan Senate bill, demonstrating that the bill would decrease the federal deficit by $197 billion over the next 10-year period. And it would be hugely beneficial for state and local economies. In a 20-year outlook, the CBO estimated that comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship would further decrease the federal deficit by another $700 billion by 2033.

Republicans in the House under Speaker Boehner’s leadership must realize that the American people are on the side of reform and want to see Congress solve this problem. They must find a way forward to make a pathway to citizenship for millions a reality. Thanks to support from Senators like Marco Rubio and his colleagues on both sides of the aisle, there is now even more pressure on the House to get on board and fix our broken immigration system, once and for all.

What Latino Civic Participation and Immigration Reform Mean for Florida

Latinos clearly made their voices heard at the ballot box on November 6, 2012. A CNN exit poll showed that Latinos represented 17 percent of the electorate in Florida. By the 2016 Presidential election, Latino voter eligibility is expected to increase by 54.6 percent, according to the Center for American Progress.

Mi Familia Vota Education Fund (MFV EF) is steadfast in our civic engagement plans by doubling our efforts on motivating thousands legal permanent residents to become U.S. citizens so that they can be part of the group that will exercise their right to vote in 2014 – the year we will hold those elected officials accountable for supporting or preventing commonsense immigration reform.

We will be at citizenship ceremonies across the state once those immigrants become citizens to register each and every one to vote. We will also engage hundreds of Hispanic youth that turn 18 every month by reaching them at schools, through youth groups, churches and other areas in their communities so that they too, register to vote and become part of the growing Latino electorate.

America deserves a fair immigration system that benefits our nation and state, reflects our values and makes sense for our economy and our families. After all, immigrants have shaped the American identity and contribute as taxpayers, costumers, entrepreneurs, and job creators.

We are asking Congress to do the right thing and pass a commonsense immigration reform that reflects our commitment to the values that define us as Americans and includes a roadmap to citizenship for the 11 million aspiring citizens living in the U.S. Let’s face it, voters want real solutions, not just political talk.

Legalizing immigrant workers in Florida and increasing their spending power would add 97,000 jobs to the state’s economy and grow tax revenues by $1.13 billion, according to an economic study by the Center for American Progress. If all new Americans were expelled from Florida, the state would lose more than $5.67 billion in state revenues.

Through our outreach, education and resources, MFV EF is helping pave the way to ensure high levels of electoral involvement among the Latino community in 2014, and beyond. Showing our presence at the ballot box and electing pro-Latino officials that will represent our interests will show candidates the political influence we can have when we vote.

Now let’s work together to making possible a commonsense immigration reform in 2013 and continue to create a engaged Latino voting bloc that continues to influence top issues of concern for the Latino community.

You can take action today by calling your member of Congress, Senator Marco Rubio or Senator Bill Nelson, at 1-877-848-8289 and ask for support on a commonsense immigration reform that provides a timely roadmap to citizenship. To receive more information, text NOW to 90975.